Indiana University again named a 'best value' by Kiplinger's

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University remains a leading value among the nation's public colleges and universities, according to Kiplinger's Personal Finance, which released its list of the "100 Best Values in Public Colleges" today.

IU rose one spot from last year's list to 39th overall and ranks fourth among Big Ten universities. This is the sixth consecutive year that the university has been named among the top 40 public schools on the Kiplinger's list.

The rankings, which recognize public colleges and universities that combine outstanding education with economic value, will appear in the magazine's February 2013 issue hitting newsstands Jan. 1. They also are available online.

"Maintaining accessibility and affordability for our students while delivering nationally recognized programming has been a strategic focus for Indiana University," said IU Treasurer MaryFrances McCourt, who will become the university's interim vice president and chief financial officer effective Jan. 1. "We are thrilled to be recognized for these efforts."

Kiplinger's examines data from nearly 600 public four-year schools and assesses quality according to a number of measures, including admission rate, percentage of students who return for their sophomore year, student-faculty ratio and four-year graduation rate. Cost criteria include low sticker prices, abundant financial aid and low average debt at graduation.

"We applaud this year's top 100 schools for their efforts to maintain academic standards while meeting the financial needs of their students," said Janet Bodnar, editor of Kiplinger's Personal Finance.

The only other Indiana school included in Kiplinger's report was Purdue University, which was ranked 51st overall. IU was ranked behind Big Ten peers at the University of Michigan (11th), University of Wisconsin (13th) and Ohio State University (37th).